by Oyewole Rolex

…posterity is the final judge of the acts of humans. Irrespective of our religious, cultural and political affiliations cum dispensation, no human life is worth sacrificing to protect these beliefs. 

Our dear Nation at this point has plumed into a very precarious stage. A volatile state many has posited trepidation, violence, killings and all sought of extirpation. Some advanced Nation has often sternly opined that our dear Nation won’t survive beyond 2015 as a united entity. With recent happenings, only a fellow that has not kept tab will assume improbability, but this plausibility is too glaring.

The political space is charged as a result of politicians and their respective political parties making recourse to shortcuts, desperate moves, provocative statements, vociferous degradation of personality, implacable propagandistic accusations and counter accusations. The electorates are not left out of also making strong vituperations in their contributions either via social media or via other media. In fact they play a major role in the promulgation of same.

For the purpose of knowledge, Rotary is an international reputable selfless service to humanity organization composed of people from all walks of life. An organization that has a permanent sit in the United Nations. Interestingly, the four way test formulated by late Rotarian Albert J. Tailor has become the ‘Holy Bible or Holy Quran’, a watchword like guiding principle for members of this distinguished organization.

Generally in life if one could either adopt Or always answer correctly the questions posited in the four way test, such a fellow would inevitably live a fulfilled life. I feel obliged to put forward the four way test to aid positivity and paradigm change both in the public office seekers and the electorate.

The four way test of Rotary/Rotaract of the things we think, say or do…. 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. will it build Goodwill and better friendship? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Is it the truth? You have seemingly over the years consistently promised to build schools, roads, hospitals, and create jobs. You promised free health care, emancipation of the economy, security of lives and properties, you promised provision of basic amenities, You promised better representation and grass root legislations. None of it was done! Now you are here again with the same promises.. As an electorate, you sell your votes for stipends, rice, recharge cards, palm oil, brooms, umbrella, etc. And then you cast vote for such persons (highest paying contestants) claiming they are the best. IS IT THE TRITH?.

Is it fair to all concerned? Public office seekers, You have perfected plans to rig elections, cause havoc, destruction and disunity if the election does not go your way.. Populace, you are being paid, trained and mobilized to Carry out these nefarious acts, is it fair to those who will lose loved ones? Is it fair to those who will be. made homeless? Is it fair to those who will be maimed? Is it fair to those who will legitimately be voted for? IS IT FAIIR TO ALL CONCERNED?

Will it build goodwill and better friendship? You sponsor destructive propaganda, you make inflammatory statements that threatens our unity, you make derogatory speeches about your opponents, you consciously and skillfully incite people against one another Just to win at the polls, you instigate//orchestrate paid violence and destruction of lives and properties, you demean your opponents on purpose and those not in support of your political party and candidate, and you encourage politics of hate, calumny and religious extremism.. indulging in all these because you want to win elections. WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETER FRIENDSHIP?

Will. it be beneficial to all concerned? Electoral umpire (INEC) you aid rigging, selling of ballot papers and PVC’S to public office seekers, promulgation of acts that favours one political party or public office seeker than the other, conscious manipulation election result sheets, distorting voter register and falsification of result sheet .As a Security operative, you purposely disenfranchise voters, making unlawful arrest of electorates and public office seekers, being an ally and machinery to rig elections, readily available instruments of intimation of those you are bribed to castigate and turning blind eye to electoral violations and violence. WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED.

Conclusively, posterity is the final judge of the acts of humans. Irrespective of our religious, cultural and political affiliations cum dispensation, no human life is worth sacrificing to protect these beliefs. As an electorate, we must go to the polls with our conscience answerable to the Rotary/Rotaract four way test. As a public office seeker, do not ostentatiously promise that which you either do not intend to do or cannot do. please do make electoral promises under the strict supervision and scrutiny of the Rotary/Rotaract four way test.

Be good.

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– Oyewole Rolex writes from Ado-Ekiti and tweets via @Rolex7Michael

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija